Just To Be Loved

by Lee, Vivian Rose

  “Where?” Hunter asked curiously.

  “Well, according to her high school counselor Mrs. Colby, who remembered her well and was particularly fond of her, Miss Taylor was accepted at two historically black colleges. The others were Yale, Princeton, Harvard, and get this… even MIT was interested in her. Mrs. Colby informed us that MIT was the one she would have more than likely chosen if she could have attended. For the brief time that she’d had the pleasure of knowing Mya, Miss Colby stated that it was her dream to design and build things. She said that she knew something was wrong with her home life after seeing Mya constantly coming to school with bruises, but after she went to the child services to report Ms. Taylor, by the time child services went to inquire after Mya’s well-being, the Taylors were gone. Mya never got her diploma. In fact, I have it right here with me. Can you believe Mrs. Colby kept it all those years? That young girl must have made quite an impression.”

  “So she’s a drop out?” Hunter inquired.

  “No, not quite. She completed her education; she just never went through the ceremony. The last eight years of the timeline, they lived with Mississippi, and while the rest of the team were scattered and canvassing three other states, I went to her old home and personally contacted the landlord. He claims Mya owes him $2,400 in back rent and said that she was supposed to go to court, but she never showed up. I checked at the courthouse and it seems he was telling the truth. It appears she abandoned the place soon after her mother died and wound up here. She now works for a manufacturing company right here in Little Rock. She has no debts except for what the landlord Mr. Caldwell claims she owes him. What a sleazy guy… I felt dirty just looking at him. Let’s see… she has no other relatives or any friends, and that’s about it.”

  Hunter listened as Colin read off his report and was a little surprised. He expected more.

  “Does she have a criminal record?”

  Colin chuckled. “Not even a jaywalking violation. If you don’t mind me asking Hunter, why are you so interested in this woman?”

  Hunter exhaled. “When this Taylor woman arrived in town, she went to see my father and wanted to know if he was her father.”

  “I see… is he?”

  “The test aren’t in yet,” he replied pushing his hand through his long hair.

  Colin watched his friend closely. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear that Hunter was more interested in Mya Taylor’s background than whether she was after his father’s money.

  “Nothing we found out about her says she’s a con, but her mother, now that’s a different story.”

  “And she may be just like a mother,” Hunter accused.

  “True, true, and she might not be. Just wait and see what tests say before you start accusing her of unknown crimes.” Colin curiously watched as a frown formed on Hunter’s face. “Say, uh Hunter? What if she is his daughter?”

  “I hope she isn’t. Dad thinks she could be his daughter because she resembles Ghani my grandmother, and I have to admit she does have a strong resemblance to a young Ghani…”

  “Yes, yes, I understand all that, but what if she is?” Colin reiterated.

  “Then I guess I’ll just have to watch her closely, that’s all.”

  “Well, that’s good enough for me my friend. Look, I best get home to Jada. Come by sometime soon,” Colin invited.

  “Sure thing,” Hunter replied absently as he shook Colin’s hand. He barely heard a word he said.

  With his hands now clammy with sweat, Henry Trent sat at his desk holding the envelope that contained the results of Mya Taylor’s DNA tests. He couldn’t explain why, but he had a strange feeling that this time would be different; not at all like the others that claimed he fathered their children, though he thoroughly regretted his wild ways when he was a young, embittered, and heartbroken man. No less than three women had come to him claiming he fathered their children, and after DNA testing proved them all to be the lowdown liars that they were, he sent them on their way with nothing but the clothing on their backs. But not this time… this time was different… he could feel it. What troubled him the most however was that his wife of thirty years once again had to deal with, and in some instances relive, his past transgressions.

  Sylvie literally saved his life, and the memory was still fresh in his mind, as if it only happened just yesterday. Back then, he was hard on Sylvie, putting her through changes no woman should have to go through, and she stuck right there with him. She put up his nonsense and his stupidity for a long time until one day when she simply couldn’t take it anymore. She finally got fed up with his hard and cynical ways and returned to her hometown back east without so much as a goodbye. A few weeks passed of him thinking that she would come running back, but when that didn’t happen, and he didn’t hear from her, he went running to her. Looking back, if he were honest with himself back then, he would have realized that he was deeply in love with Sylvie Warren from the moment they first met and never let her go in the first place.

  When he learned that she had moved back to her hometown, he hopped on the next thing heading east to get the only woman that ever put up with his foul attitude and put it in check. Thirty years later and here they were still deeply in love. Thirty years… he didn’t know how he was going to break this one to her. She never said anything about the others; didn’t throw a fit or have a tantrum, and not once did she point a finger in accusation. She only promised to stand by him through it all. There was something about that woman that he realized a long time ago, and even found occasion a time or two to tell her; times when he could not have been more proud of her if he tried. And that was that Mrs. Sylvie Warren Trent was much too good for him.

  Lost in deep thought, Henry sat there a long time mulling over those women of his past and the accusations they brought against him. Back then, he made it clear up front that he was out for a good time, and if someone’s feelings got hurt in the process, then so what, but then there was Ione Taylor; beautiful obsessive and dangerous. When he shunned her, she retaliated by trying to kill him, and she almost succeeded. While they dated, supposedly exclusively, she kept men on the side. He thought he loved the beautiful Ione, and when her infidelity was exposed, she thought that he loved her so much that he would overlook her transgressions. What she didn’t realize was that Henry Trent was nobody’s fool. She may have dazzled him with her beauty as she did most men, but he was no fool. He severed all ties to her quickly, and for the next three months Ione stalked, harassed, and threatened him. He will never forget the night that he almost lost his life.

  He had been named CEO of the firm after the passing of his father, and was leaving the Trent building after a long workday. He had put in a lot of late hours, just to prove to himself that he could handle his new responsibilities. He smiled. Just last week Sylvie had just agreed to become is wife and he was going meet her for a late supper.

  “Hello Henry,” Ione said in the same sultry tone that used to turn him on.

  Surprised to see her, Henry quickly turned around. “What are you doing here Ione?” You know you’re not supposed to be anywhere near me,” he said icily.

  “Be nice Henry,” she purred. “I just want to talk to you.”

  “About what?” He said impatiently. Ione sighed dramatically.

  “I’m giving you another chance to be my lover. You know that we were good together.”

  Henry chuckled coldly. “Yeah, me and how many others?”

  Ione shrugged her shoulders. “Darling I couldn’t help myself, but out of all of them you were the best.”

  “Lady you’re crazy,” he said before turning to walk away.

  “I heard you got engaged.”

  Henry turned to face her. “Yes that’s right I did, and she is nothing like you.” Henry again turned and walked away.

  “I will not be ignored Henry!” She screamed at him. “If I can't have you no one else will!”

  The first shot went through his shoulder, the next in the center of his back. T
he only thing he remembered before blacking out was the sound of her laughter.

  “Mr. Trent?” Martha voice said, coming through the intercom and pulling him back from that painful memory.

  “Yes Martha,” he responded, sounding a little drained emotionally.

  “I’m going home now.”

  “Okay Martha, Goodnight.”

  Henry looked at the envelope in his hand and slipped it into the breast pocket of his jacket. A few seconds later, he lifted the receiver of the phone and made a phone call.

  “Hello Mya, this is Henry Trent. I’m fine. I just called to let you know that I have the results of the test you took.”

  “No, I have not opened it yet.” Silence came from the other end of the line.

  “Mya are you still there? Okay. I will send a car to bring you to my home. I want all of my family to be present when I reveal the results. The car will be to your home around 7:00 pm. Okay, I will see you then.”

  Hanging up, he neatly stacked the papers on his desk and left the building, going home to the love and support of his beautiful wife Sylvie.

  Mya looked out the window of the limo as it moved through a gated community where each house was more beautiful than the last, and a minute later watched as it pulled into a driveway of the largest house she had ever seen. When the limo came to a stop, Mya watched as the driver moved around the car and opened the door.

  “Thank you,” she said politely as she got out and stood looking at the stylish brick mansion. Having a sudden bout of extreme nervousness, and overly intimidated by the luxuriousness of the home before her, she slowly raised her hand to ring the doorbell.

  Hearing the doorbell and taking a quick look at his watch, Henry excused himself and went to answer the door. The whole family was there except for their son Chance who was away at school, but everyone in attendance had a good idea why their father had called this meeting. Henry was a man who did not like deceit in any form. He prided himself on his integrity and forthrightness, and tried to instill these same values in his sons. There was nothing in his life that he would ever keep from his family, especially not something of this caliber, and as things stood right now, the entire family now knew about Mya Taylor and was just as anxious as Henry to see the test results.

  When Henry returned, Mya was at his side, and she let her eyes briefly roam the room. Never in her life had she seen such an incredibly lovely room. With its muted shades of sage and navy, the high cathedral ceiling, and vaulted windows, the designs and its decorations literally blew her away.

  “Mya Taylor, my family,” Henry introduced. “You know my son Hunter.”

  She acknowledged Hunter’s presence, and although he did the same, his acknowledgement was indifferent and lacked any enthusiasm. Sensing this, Henry moved on.

  “Come on in Miss Taylor,” he said as he took her over to a lovely older lady. “Miss Taylor, this is my wife, Sylvie Trent,” he introduced.

  Sylvie had a lovely warm caramel colored kind face. She smiled warmly, and the warmth that shone in her eyes surprised Mya. She expected his wife to be resentful since Mya had come to Little Rock inquiring about Sylvie’s husband being her father, but instead she seemed genuinely friendly.

  “Hello,” Mya said softly, her eyes lowering more out of respect than shyness.

  Henry then introduced her to two extremely tall men that resembled Henry and Sylvie Trent.

  “This is Bryan, my second eldest son,” Henry said with pride. Bryan was not as tall as Hunter, but he had the same medium complexion of his father and the deep brown eyes of his mother. He smiled at her with a kindness that put Mya’s heart at ease as Henry continued his introduction. “And this is Trevor, my next eldest.”

  Mya thought he was devilishly handsome. His bronzed, dark eyes held a hint of mischief and he clearly resembled his mother, even adopted her coloring and warm smile. Hunter looked nothing like the two men she had just met, and the more she thought about it, he didn’t look much like his mother or father either. She was a little confused. Nodding her hello to Trevor, she was then led to a chair where she sat stiffly on the edge.

  Henry then stood before her and his family. He appeared to be a devoted father who loved his family deeply, and as he stood there about to address the group, Mya could feel someone watching her. She slowly turned her head and looked right into Hunter’s piercing deep stare. A small frown creased her brow as she returned his gaze, and when her eyes lowered to his mouth, she saw his lips curl in distaste before he moved to the other side of the large parlor. Mr. Trent cleared his throat before speaking.

  “As you all know Mya came to me to find out if I am her father, and it is no secret to any of you that in the past, several women have come forward claiming that I fathered their children. Those claims however, all turned out to be lies.”

  Mya tensed. She had no idea that this had happened to him before and that meant that he saw her in the same light as he saw the others. She sat there uncomfortable with all eyes on her, and as she did, her eyes lowered and her heart pounded. After that so called opening statement, she seriously began to wonder if Mr. Trent invited her to his home for nothing more than to humiliate her. With all she had been through in her life, she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. It was one thing to be humiliated privately, he could have done that over the phone, but she would not be humiliated publicly. She stood to her feet just as Hunter came to stand beside his father. Mya didn’t know what compelled her, but she lifted her chin, and looked directly into Henry’s eyes as she spoke.

  “Mr. Trent, I’m sorry I bothered you… I have to go.”

  “Don’t you want to know?” Hunter’s voice boomed with anger.

  Mya looked at him with saddened eyes. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  As she turned to leave, Hunter had had it, fed up with the back and forth of this conniving woman.

  “What do you want Mya?” He asked harshly.

  Mya slowly turned and looked at the faces of this beautiful family, the family she thought to have one day. But not today, not ever.

  “What I wanted I realize I cannot have. I only wanted to know who I am and where I came from. One time I thought I…” She paused as unshed tears choked her.

  “Mya,” Henry responded, reaching out his hand. His heart genuinely went out to her, but Mya cringed away taking a step back.

  “My mother was a horrible woman and all she ever talked about was getting her revenge on you. She told me many times that you did not want me; she didn’t even want me. In her eyes, I was just a means to an end. She led me to believe you were my father, and because of that I came to ask you why you didn’t want me. I want nothing from you, Mr. Trent. I only have to hold one job instead of the two my Mama made me work to make ends meet. She thought working for a living was beneath her, and between me and the men she used, she led a remarkably comfortable life. I had to go behind her back just to go to school since she thought my being in school was a waste of time. I mean why go to school when I could be out making money, right? She even suggested that I could be making more money on my back. For years I endured beatings, and when I wasn’t fighting her off, I was fighting off the advances of her many admirers. I provided for her, and she took it all. She was constant with her hatred of you Mr. Trent, and the day I asked her why didn’t she take me to see you, was day I received the worst beating I ever received from her. If it had not been for our neighbor Mrs. Jenkins, she would have surely beaten me to death. I don’t need to know if you are my father. The only thing you have proven to me is that my mother is a liar and a cheat. It seems to me like I could be anyone’s daughter. I mean just look at me. I look nothing like you, and this hair and these eyes… I don’t even know what color they are. It’s not necessary that I know Mr. Trent… I already do.”

  She looked at Mrs. Trent with tears glistening in her eyes.

  “It was a pleasure meeting you all and I won’t bother you again.”

  “Mya, this needs to be settled,” Mr.
Trent said.

  She shook her head. “It has already been settled Mr. Trent. I don’t belong here. I’m satisfied. I’m used to this life, it’s all I know. Thank you. Can your driver please take me home now?” The tears that were in her eyes spilled over.

  “Mya!” Henry called out to her as she turned and ran out the door.

  “Henry,” Sylvie said softly as tears ran down her face. “Send the car… let her go.”

  The room was quiet as Henry called for a car.

  “I feel sorry for her,” Bryan said sadly.

  “We all do son,” Sylvie replied.

  “I don't feel sorry for her, I think it's all an act,” Hunter commented, his heart hard and stricken.

  “Hunter must you always be so cold?” His mother scolded.

  “Mom when Dad talked about the others claiming him to be the father of their children, she spoke up. That tells me this was all a scam.”

  “I don’t know Hunt,” Henry countered. “She looks so much like Ghani.”

  “Yes, I noticed that she did as well,” Sylvie replied. “Trevor hand me the photo album son.”

  Trevor quickly left for the other side of the room, and returned handing the book to his mother. Sylvie opened it searching for the picture of Henry’s mother.

  “My God,” she breathed.

  Everyone looked over her shoulder at the photo of their grandmother, except for Hunter.

  Sylvie and Henry’s eyes met. “Open it honey.”

  Henry pulled the envelope from his breast pocket and silently read the enclosure before handing it to his wife.

  “What is it?” Bryan and Trevor asked in unison.

  Henry took a deep breath. “She is your sister,” he stated with a stunned look upon his face.